With the scheduled return to flight of the US Space Shuttle set for July 13, Americans are hoping that their nation's space program will finally get back on track. Meanwhile, Europe is considering participation in a Russian program to develop the next generation of reusable manned spacecraft.
The Kliper project, which Russia is proposing to build, is being looked at by the ESA as a program worthy of a deal that would combine the technology and economies of these two space agencies (ESA and Roscosmos).
The Kliper would provide access to the ISS, earth orbit in general, and future missions to the moon - for both Russian astronauts, and any nation that decides to enter into a development partnership with Russia.
Throughout the three year grounding of NASA's Space Shuttle, Russia has been the savior of the ISS by providing crew transport and re-supply missions. However, their Soyuz capsule is considered the Model T of spacecraft.
"The Soyuz is basically a concept from the sixties and is getting rather old," agrees Frank de Winne, ESA's Belgian astronaut. "It is also getting rather difficult to produce this type of spacecraft. The Americans are examining a new system of manned space transport, called the Crew Exploration Vehicle; and there is the Russian Kliper project, in which Europe is particularly interested."
Frank de Winne was interviewed at the Le Bourget Airshow, where the Russian space agency Roscosmos and its industrial companies presented a small-scale model of the Kliper vehicle.
"Kliper is a new generation spacecraft, incorporating brand new ideas in its design," explained Vladimir Daneev, engineer at the RKK Energuya company. "Since the construction of the Shuttle, a lot of new materials have been found and new technologies have appeared. We will use all this Russian know-how in the new spacecraft, and we are eager to incorporate a maximum of European technology in the design."
A full-scale model of Kliper has taken shape in the RKK Energuya assembly halls. The EuroNews report shows exclusive shots of its construction. The future vehicle, consisting of three modules, looks like a stubby small-winged aircraft. It will be able to transport six astronauts and 500 kg of supplies, or two astronauts and 700 kg of cargo.
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